They call themselves the “Black Flag Family.” Bristol Township police call them wannabe armed robbers.
Bristol Township police say five of the “family” members robbed a teenager last month after he got off a school bus on Aspen Lane. One member allegedly fired a gun at the kid but missed.
Throughout the week, police reportedly arrested four members of the reputed family and a 17-year-old Newtown Township girl, who police say drove one of two cars to the alleged robbery. An arrest warrant has been issued for a fifth Bristol Township man, the girl’s boyfriend.
Police also believe some of the group’s members might be responsible for other crimes in the township, and an investigation is continuing.
“This Black Flag Family has caused a lot of chaos in our town,” Bristol Township Lt. Terry Hughes said, adding that the joint investigation is being conducted by Bristol Township and Bensalem police with help from Middletown police.
Police said they received numerous 911 calls about gunshots in the area of Aspen Lane Feb. 20, and kids running away and fleeing in two cars.
One resident described one of the cars as a blue Ford Mustang. She also found the alleged victim crouched over at her front door breathing heavily. He told the woman he had been chased.
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| Members and associates of the "Black Flag Family" |
When police interviewed the boy, he described a “feud” with the suspects over a girl that had been ongoing for several weeks. He told them that the men were waiting for him in two cars when he got off the school bus that afternoon, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Two of the men whom he knew — Nicholas Ricciardi, 21, and Michael Kurfuss, 19, both of Bristol Township — and a third man he didn’t know stopped him and threatened to beat him up, according to police.
The teen told the men he didn’t want trouble and kept walking, police said. The men followed until Ricciardi announced the robbery by telling the victim to “run his pockets,” which is street slang for empty your pockets this is a robbery, according to the affidavit.
The teen told the men he had only a cellphone, which he refused to give up, according to court records. The third man, Dennis Rose III, 19, of the township, forcibly took a marijuana cigar off the teen, police said.
The teen started to run away and turned around to take a punch at Ricciardi when he saw Rose with what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun, court records show.
“Stop or I’ll shoot you,” said Rose, who later told police he was trying to scare the teen, according to court documents. Soon after, the teen heard a gunshot and ducked, police said.
All the men then scattered, and got into the cars. The girl, later identified as Caroline Kolb, 17, of Newtown Township, drove the Mustang, police said. A man — identified as Joseph Collora, 24, of Middletown, was driving the other car — a white Chevy Cavalier — they added.
Police said other teens who got off the bus in the same area corroborated the boy’s version of events, police said.
Police, who interviewed Kolb with her mother present at her home, said she admitted to being involved in the robbery and shooting on Aspen Lane. She told police that she was aware that Rose and her boyfriend Ricciardi, Kurfuss, Collora and another man, went to Aspen Lane to rob and beat up the teen, according to the affidavit.
After the gun was fired, Kolb drove her Mustang with Ricciardi and Rose to Philadelphia to return the gun — which turned out to be a replica starter gun — to its owner, who was not identified, according to court records.
Kolb also told police she was at a party Saturday night at Collora’s house and that she, Rose, Collora and Ricciardi bragged about the shooting and “other crimes committed in the area,” according to the affidavit.
On Tuesday, police interviewed family founding member Collora, whom they said admitted driving his Cavalier to Aspen Lane with several members of the “Black Flag Family,” police said. Collora also admitted that he knew Ricciardi and Rose had a gun when they went to the fight, court records show.
“Collora was aware that Ricciardi and Rose habitually rob victims and assault them,” according to the probable cause affidavit.
Four of the five suspects have been arrested and charged with robbery with immediate threat of serious injury and related crimes. Kolb was charged as an adult and sent to Bucks County prison in lieu of 10 percent of $150,000 bail.
Collora was sent to county prison in lieu of 10 percent of $150,000 bail; Rose, Kurfuss and Michael McKearnan, 20, of Bristol Township were sent to county prison in lieu of 10 percent of $750,000 bail.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Ricciardi on the same charges, police said.
Jo Ciavaglia: 215-949-4181; email: jciavaglia@phillyBurbs.com; Twitter: @jociavaglia
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